PHOTO: Budding industry
Production has hit full swing for a group of residents making salted cherry blossom petals in Unnan, Shimane prefecture, known for its cherry blossoms. Read more
Focus on Japan
The latest news, trends and photo galleries from Japan by Japan News and Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper founded in 1874.
Mini-theaters offer fun places for get-togethers
Last year’s closures of Iwanami Hall in Tokyo’s Jimbocho district and Theatre Umeda in Osaka generated much ado. The iconic mini- theaters were shut down amid pandemic and other challenges. Read more
Popular udon broth is back on tap at airport
A free on-tap service offering hot udon dashi — soup or broth for udon noodles — has resumed at Takamatsu Airport in Kagawa prefecture after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Read more
Hotels cater to new parents with 24-hour services
Postpartum care services at a central Tokyo hotel are becoming increasingly popular among new mothers. Read more
Fans unsure about Netflix’s live-action ‘One Piece’ series
The enormously popular Japanese manga “One Piece” is coming to Netflix as a live-action series this year — a development that’s both exciting and worrisome for fans who have seen mixed success in a growing list of Hollywood adaptations. Read more
Pond at Nara pagoda boasts clearer water
With Kofukuji Temple’s five-story pagoda reflecting on its surface, Sarusawa Pond is one of Nara’s most famous scenic spots. Unfortunately, the clarity of the stagnant pond hasn’t been nearly as picturesque. Read more
Loneliness on the rise, survey reveals
About 40% of people in Japan feel lonely at least occasionally, according to recently released results of a nationwide government survey on loneliness and isolation. Read more
Visitors tour ancient town’s temples with help of buggies
In the ancient town of Ikaruga in Nara prefecture, visitors can easily immerse themselves in Buddhist tradition by hopping from temple to temple — on a buggy. Read more
Okinawa holds drill to evacuate Sakishima Islands
The central and Okinawa governments recently conducted a drill to evacuate 120,000 residents from the Sakishima Islands, part of Okinawa prefecture. Read more
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PHOTO: A promenade of pink
People strolled beneath cherry blossoms in full bloom Wednesday in Kitakata, Fukushima prefecture. Read more
‘Forbidden religion’ rites to be preserved on video
Descendants of Kakure Kirishitans, or “hidden Christians” of the 17th to 19th centuries, are planning to make a video about the lives of their ancestors for posterity. Read more
Elevators considered for Nagoya Castle
Nagoya is thinking about installing small elevators in Nagoya Castle to make the structure accessible to disabled visitors. Read more
Flower bed built near site of Abe’s shooting
A flower bed was completed March 31 near the site where former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot dead in Nara city in 2022. Read more
In face of intensifying typhoons, Japan adopts renewable energy
When Kozu island, 105 miles from Tokyo, was hit by a typhoon on Oct. 11, 2019, strong winds of more than 110 mph disrupted power for about six hours that night. Read more
Plan for returning crested ibis to wild takes off
This year marks 20 years since the endemic Japanese crested ibis, or toki, was declared extinct in Japan. Read more
Self-propelled robot with radar looks for children missing after 2011 tsunami
A technical college in Sendai has developed a self-propelled robot equipped with ground-penetrating radar, which it recently deployed to search for four elementary school children missing since a tsunami triggered by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, hit Miyagi prefecture. Read more
PHOTO: Colossal Reminder
In January, Tokyo University of the Arts graduates constructed a large-scale model of a Tyrannosaurus rex from 20,000 plastic bottles. Read more
‘Knock Knock Cats’ campaign aims to spare felines under vehicle hoods
Japan’s automobile industry has been calling on drivers to develop a strange habit before starting their cars: Knock on the car hood. It’s central to an initiative to shoo away cats that have climbed into the engine compartment, preventing injury to the animal as well as car trouble. Read more
Shop is a sweet spot for reclusive people
A new sweet shop operated by Tokyo’s Edogawa ward offers work opportunities and a place to spend time to area residents who stay in their homes and have withdrawn from society. Read more
AI technology can indicate freshness of frozen tuna
Fujitsu Ltd. and Tokai University have successfully used artificial intelligence to determine the freshness of frozen tuna. Read more
Okinawa’s bashofu textile endures into modern era
Bashofu, a light, cool fabric well suited for a summer kimono, is a traditional textile of Okinawa prefecture. The production of this unique fabric relies heavily on manual labor. Read more
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